Switch to ADA Accessible Theme Close Menu
Florida Personal Injury Lawyers
$3,830,000

Catastrophic motorcycle accident resulted in a jury verdict.

$1,748,000

Auto accident, multi-car crash

$1,035,000

Auto accident involving defective airbag

$600,000

Death resulting from hospital turning away patient

$550,000

Auto accident involving tractor trailer

$345,000

Auto accident involving a work vehicle

$340,000

Slip and fall at a hotel bathroom

$115,000

Auto accident involving pedestrian. $115,000 in litigation instead of $15k presuit offer

Call: 844-200-0000
Free Initial Consultation
Do you opt in to being contacted via SMS texting or phone call?
 
protected by reCAPTCHA Privacy - Terms

Senate Fails to Vote on PIP Insurance Repeal

InsCov

In April the Florida House of Representatives voted to repeal the state’s personal injury protection (PIP) insurance system. But because of the Senate’s inaction, the measure will not become law — at least not until another legislative session.

What Is the Law Currently?

Florida is only one of ten states with no-fault auto insurance. Under current law, every vehicle owner and driver must have $10,000 in PIP insurance coverage. If you are in an accident, your insurance company will help pay for your medical bills regardless of who is at fault. Specifically, your insurance company will pay 80 percent of your medical expenses and 60 percent of your lost wages, up to $10,000.

(Lost wages refer to the wages you are unable to earn because of your injury. For example, if you break your leg in a car accident and can’t go to work for two months, you may be entitled to two months of lost wages.)

But $10,000 might not be enough to cover your medical expenses or completely make up for lost wages. In that case, you might need to bring a personal injury lawsuit to recover damages.

What’s Wrong with the Current System?

Lawmakers were concerned that some of these PIP claims were fraudulent. According to the Office of Insurance Regulation, Florida has seen an increase in PIP claims and payments in recent years.

If it had become law, the new system would have saved motorists almost $1 billion a year, or $81 a car.

What Did the Legislature Try to Do?

The House voted 89-29 to require motorists to carry minimum bodily insurance coverage of $25,000 for injuries to another person and $50,000 for injuries to two or more people. Lawmakers hoped that this change would bring down car insurance rates, which have risen 25 percent in the past two years.

The Senate Banking and Insurance Committee also voted to replace the PIP system with a requirement that motorists carry bodily injury protection, but the proposal was never considered by the entire chamber. There was also a key difference between the House bill and the Senate proposal: The Senate version included a provision creating a medical payment (called MedPay) coverage mandate of $5,000.

If the Senate had passed its version of the bill, the two chambers would have had to agree on one version before it could be sent to the governor for his signature or veto.

This wasn’t the first time that the legislature has initiated reform, and it probably won’t be the last. Only time will tell what the legislature’s next move on PIP repeal will be.

Contact Us Today

If you have questions about your personal injury protection insurance, or are interested in obtaining coverage, contact a Jacksonville personal injury attorney at The Pendas Law Firm today for a free consultation. We will keep you updated on all of the latest developments in Florida law related to PIP insurance.

The Pendas Law Firm also represents clients in the Miami, Fort Myers, Tampa, Fort Lauderdale Orlando, West Palm Beach, Daytona and Bradenton areas.

Resources:

floridapolitics.com/archives/236068-house-senate-bills-repeal-pip-clear-committees-despite-questions-differences

floir.com/sections/pandc/productreview/pipinfo.aspx

palmbeachpost.com/news/state–regional-govt–politics/latest-drivers-ask-why-bill-save-per-car-ending-pip-stalled/o87ste0uPa8uaL0RJJuj4L/

Read What Others Have To Say About Us

  • “I can’t express how much I appreciate this law firm. I had the honor to deal with attorney Daniel. He kept me updated on my case. I couldn’t ask for a better law firm. Daniel fought for me til the end and got me what I deserved. Thanks Daniel and your team for always being there to answer any of my questions. If I ever need a law firm again...”

    Terry Mcphillips
  • “Speedy & superb handling of clients & cases, kind & caring. Highly recommended professionals. They made everything very easy for us, were outgoing & polite. I would call them again if ever in need, rather than call the larger firms that need to advertise & brag about winnings…Pendas was a pleasant & more personal approach instead of...”

    Joseph Kestell
  • “Wow I called Pendas Law Firm the other day at their main intake line it was around 11 o’clock at night and I’ve got this wonderful representative his name was Jeffrey Alvarez. This guy was very professional and his compassion was out of this world I don’t know what I would do if I could not have got a hold of him...”

    Luis Sanchez
  • “Thank you for helping us in our time of need. This firm handled my father’s workers comp case, and helped us with every question we had, and we had a plenty. Thankful for the entire legal team!”

    Enilno Resu
  • “I just concluded a case with attorney Michael Sanchez and paralegal Camilo Lopez. I can only say they are exceptional. The customer service is unique, they have been battling alongside me since day 1. They are not only courteous and professional, but they also are amazing at their job. Thanks to them I got a great deal. I am glad I decided to use their services...”

    Israel Garcia
  • “Their attorneys are absolutely someone you want handling your car accident claim. They communicated with us promptly and thoroughly. I was very happy with our recovery. Already recommended them to others in the same circumstances, their staff speaks Spanish and you feel like in family.”

    Ian Brito
  • “Very Professional law firm. They explained to you every detail what to do according to the laws (worker’s compensation). Mr. Danilo Cruz is the best Lawyer and his team. They are very kind, friendly, responsible, I love this firm. They fight for their clients. AwesomeTeam!”

    Lau Rod